World’s Largest Ball of Twine (Minnesota)

Come on, people, you knew this one was coming…

If you have only heard of one “World’s Largest,” it’s probably the WORLD’S LARGEST BALL OF TWINE- 301 1st. St., Darwin, MN.

Incidentally, this post is dedicated to Brian Trumble.

This ball of twine made the Guinness Book of World Records in 1991 as the World’s Largest Ball of Twine Made by One Man and was made by Francis A. Johnson. He started winding in March of 1950 and ended around 1979. The ball is 11 feet high, 12 feet 9 inches across and has a circumference of nearly 40 feet. It weighs around 11 tons!

The only problem with this visit is, due to the reflection on the glass around the twine ball, it is impossible to get a good picture!

20160722_104433 — If you put your camera against the glass, you can get this, at least.

If you go in the museum/gift shop behind the ball (where you can buy Ball of Twine shirts and other paraphernalia), you can see the pliers made of pliers.

That long, wooden thing is a pair of pliers made out of 25 smaller pairs of pliers and was also created by Mr. Johnson. The art piece is held together by intricate carving, no nails or adhesives.

Also in this museum was this.